Arsenal: The time has come to let Theo Walcott go

Theo Walcott is reportedly the target of Southampton, who are wanting to offer him a return to his boyhood club. The time may have come for him and Arsenal to part ways.

For many years, I have been a Theo Walcott apologist. It has been a somewhat lonely fight, especially in recent years, and, I admit, that it is an opinion that is decreasing in its popularity. However, as a unique and irreplaceable threat, I saw Theo as a player that simply needed the patience and the opportunity to develop as a cornerstone of the Arsenal attack.

To some extent, I still see him as that kind of player. Yes, he is extremely inconsistent and frustrating. Yes, he looks more like a sprinter than a footballer. Yes, his lack of intelligence and awareness is dumbfounding. But, over a number of years, his stats speak for themselves.

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Only factoring in Premier League games — statistics can often be inflated by domestic cup competitions that are a lesser standard and are influenced heavily by single-game performances given the lack of sample size –, these are the minutes per goal involvement, where goal involvement is defined by a goal or assist, of Walcott since the 2009/10 season: 226.4; 106; 171.8; 95.3; 95.4; 88.4; 196.4; 160.4.

To put those numbers into context, Alexis Sanchez, last season, averaged a goal or assist every 94.8 minutes. Now, that was Sanchez’s best season where he was Arsenal’s featured attacker. Walcott, meanwhile, was dealing with injuries, was consistently dropped in and out of the starting line-up, and was shunted out wide far more than Sanchez was. Such statistics prove Theo’s quality. And yet, even me, as one of his most bullish supporters, has come to the conclusion that the time has come for Walcott and Arsenal to part ways.

The primary reason for thinking this is simply because he no longer fits the way that Arsene Wenger wants to play. In the 3-4-3 system that has been implemented, the only role that remotely suits Walcott is the inside-right forward.

However, to play that position effectively, having awareness of your positioning is essential. Because the width is provided by the wing-back, and the on-the-shoulder threat is provided by the central striker, the two wide attackers are given the freedom to drift throughout the pitch, finding those pockets of space in between the midfield and the defence.

It is a role that, if done well, can be extremely difficult to defend against. Should the centre-half step into midfield? Should the full-back become narrow? Should the central midfield drop deep? There isn’t a directly opposite position. But Walcott lacks the intelligence to play the role as it should be.

His runs are too simple and predictable. He fails to find space in tightly-packed final thirds. He is too stationary during attacking moves, before seeing the run that he should make minutes after he should have made it. And when he does find space, his touch is loose, which invites pressure, his passing is inconsistent at best, and his decision making is downright awful.

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Walcott may score goals; he may make assists. But the time has come for him to move on. It is with a heavy heart that I write that, but it is nonetheless true. Southampton would be the perfect place for him to go. And if he does, I wish him all the best in the world.

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